Undergraduate study in Linguistics

What can you study in Linguistics?

Linguistics gives you an understanding of the structural and cognitive aspects of language, the use and functions of language in society and language change. You can also study the structure of English and the languages of the Pacific.

Undergraduate programmes in Linguistics

From 2018 the BA minor in Linguistics will no longer be available for new admissions. If you are currently enrolled in the minor, please seek advice from the Arts Students’ Centre.

Enrolling in Stage I Linguistics courses

LINGUIST 100 or LINGUIST 103 give you the basic concepts you need to understand the structural aspects of language, and enable you to enrol later in Stage II Linguistics courses.

Other useful subjects

Students often combine Linguistics with a European or Asian language, Mathematics, Philosophy or Psychology.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Linguistics

You should think carefully about constructing your course of study in Linguistics. Besides the required courses, we offer a wide variety of other courses which allow you to pursue your own interests. However while there is the opportunity to pursue relatively focused interests, we also advise you to take courses in different areas of Linguistics in order to gain a broad appreciation of the field.

Courses in Linguistics also form part of the major in English Language Acquisition and Linguistics, and Logic and Computation.

If you are beginning a BA in 2018

You can take a major in Linguistics as one of your two BA majors (a double major). You will need to pass at least 120 points (eight courses) towards each of your majors, including at least 45 points (three courses) at Stage III.

If you first enrolled in a BA prior to 2018

Requirements for a BA major and minor

For a single major you must pass at least 135 points, including at least 60 points above Stage II.

For a double major you must pass at least 120 points in each of two majors, including at least 45 points above Stage II in each major.

For a BA minor you must pass at least 90 points, including at least 60 points above Stage I. BA minors will be discontinued for new admissions from 2018. If you are currently enrolled in a minor, please seek advice from the Arts Students’ Centre.